A text written to assist serious athletes perform mental activities which will enhance sporting achievements and minimize problems. It contains self-administered exercises which are described in a step-by-step format suitable for use by serious athletes of a high school level or better. It serves three purposes: (1) to assist athletes with no outside help to develop mental skills; (2) to assist coaches to implement mental skills training programs purely by directing athletes to do exercises and monitoring their completion; and (3) to assist sport psychologists, as part of their professional practice, to set "homework" exercises for clients. The manual is used by athletes simply by following directions, completing steps and included forms, exercising self-reinforcement and evaluations in a public setting, and continuing until behavioral objectives are achieved. Coaches and psychologists monitor the progress of athletes as they complete the exercises.

The sections of particular importance to mental imagery training are:

Section 5: PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENT IMAGERY

Introduction

Exercise 5.1: Learning image control and vividness

Exercise 5.2: Sensory recall training

Exercise 5.3: Movement imagery training

Exercise 5.4: Performance enhancement imagery

Section 6: RELAXATION

Introduction

Exercise 6.1: Learning to relax: stage 1

Exercise 6.2: Learning to relax: stage 2

Exercise 6.3: Learning to relax: final stage

Exercise 6.4: Relaxation and positive imagery for self-concept

Exercise 6.5: Relaxation and positive imagery of an activity

Exercise 6.6: Localized relaxation

Exercise 6.7: Rest, sleep, and relaxation

[Soft; 8.5 x 11 inches; 382 pages; US$35.00 per copy includes S&H; also from the Australian Coaching Council]